Flag Burning -Free Speech or Criminal Act?

"The Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."

That is the proposed amendment. One line. But apparently a big controversy. Final Vote in the House of Representatives: 286 (yea) 130 (nay) to amend the Constitution and prevent the desecration of the American Flag. The Bill is now heading for the Senate.

"The measure was designed to overturn a 1989 decision by the Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 that flag burning was a protected free-speech right. That ruling threw out a 1968 federal statute and flag-protection laws in 48 states. The law was a response to anti-Vietnam war protesters setting fire to the American flag at their demonstrations." (source)

As you may imagine, I am all for this. I have never understood why burning the flag was considered 'free speech' as it is not speech. We can't burn down other things in protest or we would be arrested, and a cross is a symbol also and you certainly can't burn that...
Speech it is not --arson and endangerment it is. Though, I wish that there was no need for a law about this. I wish people understood the lunacy in burning the very flag that symbolizes a Country that gives the Freedom to do it... But after watching a few 'Protest Warrior' videos and seeing all the Rich "Mommy and Daddy are paying for me to go to college so I can skip class and protest and burn the Flag" kids --I say pass the Amendment.

“If you must burn the flag, please wrap yourself in it first.”

update: Just saw that KAT has posted about this at length....